Camera



Feb.' 24, 192.5.

K. w. THALHAMMr-:R

CAMERA Original Filed Jan. 13, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR. 673i' DMn/mm2@ BYf// ATTRA Y Feb-24, 19257. 1,527,285

K. w. THALHAMMER CAMERA originen Filed Jan. 13, 1920 s sheets-sheet .e

I vio 56 I INVENTOR. WIM Y' f ,cf/Mm y Byln:lllr' A TTOR EY Feb. 24, 1925.

K. W. THALHAMMER CAMERA Original Filed Jan. 13, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

/umk AToR EY Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATE-S 1,527,285 PATH-1m* oFFlcE.

KARL W. THALHAIIEB, 0F L08 ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CAMERA.

Application illed January 13, 1920, Serial No. 851,176. Renewed July 14, 19M.

To all whom it may concern.' v

Be it known that I, KARL W. THALHAM- MER, a citizen of Aust-ria, having declared my intention of becoming a citlzen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, 1 n the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented a new and useful Camera, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to cameras of the type capable of employing roll or strip film, and an object of the invention is to roduce a camera which can be convenient y used for various purposes in connection with motion picture work and also independently to take pictures such as are produced by the ordina type of camera.

Anot er object of the invention is to provide a camera which is of convenient form for use in connection with the selection of locations or, in other words, the setting in which motion picture scenes are to be euacted.

Another object is to provide a camera of this description which can be conveniently usedfor ascertaining the correct illumination of the object or objects which are to enter into the series of exposures on a motion picture iilm.

Another object is to provide a camera in which focusing andthe degree of illumination can be readily observed directly on the ilin.

Another object is to make revision for observing the focusing and t e degree of illumination without exposing any of the film while so observing.

Another object is to make provision for advancing the film, a distance corresponding to the length of one frame or exposure, when the focusing slide is closed.

Another object is to provide an improved spool construction for holding the lm strip or roll.

Another object is to provide simple and serviceable lm engaging means for the spools.

Another objects and advantages-will appear in the subjoined detailed description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a camera embodying the invention.

FFig. 2 is a rear elevation from the left of Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side lar to Fig. 2 excepting that the gate is omitted.

Fi 7 is a perspective view of one of the spoo cylinders.

Fig. 8 is a lon 'tudinal view of the focusinmagnifying ens barrel.

ig. 9 is an outer face view of the intermediate therein, t position.

Fi 10 is a perspective view detac ed.

Fig. l1 is a perspective view of the gate with its inner plate removed so as to expose to view the iilm moving mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the inner plate of the gate.

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 13.

Fig. l5 is an elevation partly in section on line indicated bym1L-, Figs. 13 and 14.

ate plate with the slide in place of the gate Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation on line in-` dicated by :vw-m16, Figs. 14 and 15.

Fig. 17 is an elevation of the window closure There is rovided a body 1 having at its opposite end)s film magazine chambers 2 and intermediate of said ma azine chambers a transversely extending orifice 3 in which is shiftably mounted the bushing 4 of a lens mounting 5 which may be of the usual or any preferred construction. By shifting the bushing 4 in and out the focus of the object lens 6 may be changed in a manner well understood in this art.

In the orifice 4 and alined with the bushing 3 is a. bushing 7 projecting inwardly from a presser plate 8, said presser plate being yieldingly held outward by coil springs 9 positioned in recesses 83 in the body 1. The body 1 is provided with a recess 1Q in one tace thereof so as to accommodate the presser plate 8. The presser pla-te 8 holds the film stri such as that indicated at 11, fiat against t e inner face of an inner plate 12 of a gate, indicated in general by the character 13. The plate 12 is provided with e slide being shown in partly open l a window 14, the margins of which determine the size of the frames or exposures produced on the filmstrip when said strip 1s exposed to light rays passing through the' object lens. f

The inner plate 12 is fastened by screws 15 to the intermediate late 16 of the gate 13. The ends of the p ate 12 lare engaged by inwardly extending lugs 17 of the intermediate plate 16. The plate 12 is provided in its inner face with longitudinally extending grooves 18 to accommodate spring arms 19 which are provided at their free ends with detents or claws 20, adapted to engage the perforations a in the film strip 11 so as to move said film strip when the arms 19 are moved downwardly in Fig. 11. The claws 20 extend through slots 21 in the inner plate 12. The claws 20 have straight front faces 22 and beveled rear faces 23, the straight faces bearing against the film strip when the arms 19 are moved downwardly, and the beveled faces 23, when engaged by the film in the upstroke of the arms 19, causing the claws to be retracted so as to slide from the perforations which they engage. The arms 19 are sprung or flexed inwar ly for at least a portion of their length so as to normally hold the claws in perforation-engaging position.

The arms 19 are connected at their upper ends to a yoke 24 which in" turn is fastened by a screw 2,5, or its equivalent to an operating member in the form of an arm 26 provided at its free end with a knob 27 that can be grasped by the-operator to cause the arms 19 to be moved up or down as desired. 'lhe arm 26 is laccommodated in a groove 28 extending longitudinally in the intermediate plate 16. The arm 26 is detachably connected by a pin 29 to a slide 30 adapted to close a window 31 in the intermediate plate 16 when the arm 26 is moved in a direction to cause the claws 20 to advance the film strip. The window 31 is of substantially the same size as the window 14 and registers therewith, and the slide 30 when moved away from the window. 31 is accommodated in a recess 32 formed in the outer face of the inlei-mediate plate 16.

A latch is provided for the gate 13 and, in this instance, the latch is constructed as follows: The intermediate plate 16 is provided with a groove 33 in which is accommodated a latch bolt 34 knob 35 vwhich extends through a slot 36 in the outer gate plate. The latch bolt is pro vided in its inner face with a transversely extending notch 37 engaged by a fiat spring 38 which is disposed within a recess 39 extending transversely to the groove 33. VThe spring 38 is U-shaped and one leg thereof extends across the roove 33 and the other leg is engaged by t e wall of the recess 39. The spring 38 is placed in the recess l39 while provided with a the spring is in compressed condition, thus the spring tends to h old the latch bolt outw'ardly in lengagement with the notch40 of a lug 4l'mounted on the body 1. The gate plate 16 is provided at the end not having 76 the latch bolt with notches 98 adapted to detachably engage studs 84 proly'ectin from the rear face of the bod 1. hus t e gate can be readily removed by withdrawing the latch bolt 34 from the notch40.

To prevent. the presser plate 8 from moving outwardly to too reat an extent when 4the ate is removed, t e bushing 7 isprovide with slots 42 only one of which can be seen, from the nature of the view, in Fi 4, said slots beingengaged by the inner en s of pins or screws 43 projectlng linto the orifice 3 from the body 1. The slots 42 provide sufiicient movement of the presser plate 8 so that the springs 9 will yieldingly hold the presser plate againstthe film and thus yieldingly hold the lm strip against the inner gate plate l2.

The presser plate 8 isp provided at its opposite ends with rollers 44, 45, respectively, said rollers having reduced ends 46 journaled in bearings 47 formed by the presser plate. The roller 44 is prevented from endwise movement by its bearings 47 which are spaced from one another just sufficiently to admit the larger portion of the roller` between said bearings. The presser plate 8 is provided with longitudinally extending grooves 48 to accommodate the claws 20 'and thus permit said claws to engage-With the Hlm strip. The reducedends 46 of the roller 45 are sufficiently long to space the larger portion of the roller 45 from the inner faces of the associated bearings 47, thereby permitting the claws 20 to pass over the reduced ends of the roller 45 when 'the claws are in engagement with the film. Thus'. the roller 45 will not cause disengagement of the claws with the film as would otherwise be the case. In order to hold the roller 45 centrally between its bearings 47 the middle portion of the roller is provided with a reduced portion 49 which accommodates thel outwardly bent end 5() of a finger 51 fastened by a screw'52 to the inner surface of the presser plate 8. Thus it is clear that the roller 45 cannot move endwise so as to bring the larger portion of the roller opposite the slots 48.

Fitting against the outer face of the intermediate gate plate 16 is the outer plate 85 of the gate and it is "fastened by screws 86 to the intermediate plate. The outer plate 85 forms a cover for the recess 32, groove 33 and recess 39. The plate 85 is provided with a window 87 in alinement with the windows The outer face of the outer gate plate 85 is provided with a recessed flange 53the flange and recess being substantially semimames circular and the recess being indicated at 5d. Between the flange 53 and the adjacent portion of the plate 85 is a pin 55 which extends across the middle portion of the recess 54., that is adapted to accommodate the flange 56 of a lens-holding barrel 57, said barrer holding a. magnifying focusing lens indicated at 58. This lens 58 is at the proper focal distance from the sensitized face of the lilrn 1l so as to magnify any image which may be rejected on the film by the object lens. The flange 56 is provided with a notch ada ted to be engaged b the pin 55 when the arrel 57 is assemble in position. When the barrel is in position in the dange 53 the windows la, 3l, 87 are axially alined with the barrel; The pin 55 prevents the barrel 57 from. turning. lt is evident .that ,the barrel 57 'may be readily detached by sli ping the flange 5 out of the recess 54:. lilb'en it is desired to close the window 87, toprevent light enterin said window and striking the film, the barre 57 may be removed and a disk 60, shown in Figg13, formed of some suitable light obm structing material, such as felt or the like, may be inserted in the recess 54 so as to lie fiat against the margins of the Window 87 of the outer late. When thewindow is so closed, it is o vious that the slide 30 may be moved into open position without'admitting light to the film through the windows.

The magazine chambers 2 extend to one side of the body 1 and are closed at said sides. by plugs 61 which are screwthreaded into enlarged portions 62 of the magazine chambcrs. The plugs 61 are provided at vtheir outer ends with fianges 53 which seatagainst the outer surface of the body when the plugs are in place. The opposite side of the body 1 is provided with a rceess 64 closed by a cover.y 65 which is attached to the body by screws 66. Fastened to the body 1 by rivets 67, or their equivalents, are elongate bearings 68 which project a considerable distance inside of the magazine chambers. These bearings 68 serve to journal shafts 39 which project into the recess Gd. The projecting ends of the shafts 69 are provided with pulleys 70, 71 and the pulleys are connected with one another by a driving connection in the form of a helicalspring belt 72.

Detachably fastened to the shafts 69 by set screws 73, or their equivalents, are spool cores 74 which are providedwith recesses 7 5 at one end to accommodate the inwardly projecting portions of the bearings 68,'said recesses being of greater diameter than the bearing 68. The spool cores 74 are provided With longitudinally extending grooves 76 intheir peripheries and detachably engaging said grooves are splines 77 extending inwardly from spool sleeves 78. in the particular instance shown in the drawing the splines 77 are forni-ed by melting a longiis preferable that t tudinsl slit in each of the sleeves and bending inwardly one marginal Wall of the slit to form the splines. Thus it is clear that when the plugs 61 are removed the sleeves 78 may be readily slipped 0H of the cores 7d. Each of the sleeves 78, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, is provided at one side with a tongue 79 which is formed b making a longitudinal slit 8O in the co ar and circum ferentially extending slits 81 at the ends'of the slit 80. The tongue 7 9 is sprung outwardly slightly and is of slightly less width 'than the film strip, the film strip beingsubstantially of a width corresponding tothe length of the sleeve. To fasten the film to the sleeve, one end' of said film will be inserted beneath theA tongue 79, the mar inai portions offthe lfn' extending beyon the entds'of the' ton ue. Then the film will be wrapped aroun thesleeve so that the film will bind u on the tongue 79. The endof the film wi l be held tightly in thel cuts 81 because of the sprin "character-.of the tongue 79, and when the i is drawn taut it tends to force the tongue 79 inwardly so asl to bind said tongue tiglhter upon the film. It

emanufacturer of ,the film su ply theYfilmrolled"'on` one of the sleeves 8 orv on one' similar to the bne described, andthe operatofofthel camera will then secure the free end of the film to one of the sleeves as above described, and both sleeves will then. be'slipped upon the cores 74, the film at the same 'time being threaded over the'presser plate 8. This may be done with the gate in place or removed, but the latter is preferred.`

It is' noted that the ulley 70 is of smaller diameter than the pul ey A'71 and the reason for this is that the' claws 20 operate in a direction to pull the film from the s ool hav ing the larger pulley 71, thus driving the pulle 71 and' this in turnv producing faster rotation of the pulley --than the pulley 71 so that the tendency is for the spool having the pulley 70 to wind the film faster than itis unrolled from the spool having thcjpulley 71. Thus the film will always be held taut so as to lie perfect-ly flat across thc window 31.

In the modification shown in Figs. 13 tov 16 inclusive the body `1 is provided withalaterally extending bracKet 88 supporting au integrally formed barrel 89 which is provided at its rear end with a flange 90 corresponding to the flange 53, above described. The axes of the barrel 89 and orifice 3 are parallel. The flange 90 enables the operator to place the lens barrel 57 in axial alineuicnt with the barrel 89. The barrel 89 is provided at its forward end with a leus mounting 91 carrying an object lens 92. The ob. ject lens 92 is preferably of such size as to include a larger or smaller field ofv view than that which can be included within the lio l operator to employ either of the object angle of the object lens 6. This enables the lenses, at will, by merely exchanging one for the other.

Inserted in the rear end of the barrel 89 1s a bushing V93 having a window 94 in which .is mounted a round glass 95, that forms a member on w ich the image may be projected by the object lens so that the lens may be properly focused andthe image thus produced observed by viewing the image through the magnifying lens 58. The ground glass 95 is held in place by a nut 96 screw-threaded into the bushing 93 against the ground glass, said ground glass having` its margins accommodated in a recess 9 formed in the outer face of the bushing 93. The outer face of the nut 96 is flush .with the outer surface of the body l, and the inner end lof the barrel 57 is adapted to rest against the outer face of the nut 96.

In practice, if it be desired to select a loca-.

tion or setting for the enactment of a motion picture drama, the person delegated to such duty will choose a locatlon which is thought by him to be suitable for the particular scene which is to be recorded by the motion picture camera, and he will hold or suitably support the camera in such positionv as to cause the object lens 6 to project the image' of the scene on the film strip 11.

He 'may then, if he desires to view the image on the film, open the slide 30 and look through the lens barrel 57 so as to magnify the image and therefore bring,v out the details `therein. to better r,advantage for his observation.

The lens mounting 5 is provided with the usral iris diaphragm and mechanism for increasing and diminishing the size of `the aperture in the diaphragm and therefore the operator, when viewing the image, will not only note the appearance of the scene and its confines, but w1ll also observe the amount of light entering the camera through the diaphragm. If, in his judgment, the amount of light admitted to the camera isnsufficient for rvproducing good exposures on a film exposed in a motion picture camera in the usual manner, he will adjust the-diaphragm so as to increase the size of the aperture therein, or if the light is judged to be too strong he will decrease the size of said aperture. He will then note the size of the aperture as denoted by the usual scale' marked on the lens mounting. The lens will be focused in the usual manner so as to produce a sharp image on the film strip and, of. course, Vthe degree of sharpness of the iI/nage can be readily noted by the operator.

When the focus and degree of illumina' tion of the film' are judged to be proper for the ex osure, the barrel 57 will be detached an the closure 60 substituted therefor and the arm 26 will be operated to close the slide 30 and to advan'ce the film strip one step so as to bring anunexposed portion of the film op site the object lens 6.

The exposure wi then be made in the usual manner, the shutter, not shown, being operated for this purpose as is readily understood in this art. Then the arm 26 will be operated to open the slide 30 and to retract the claws 20 so as to cause said claws to engage a new set of perforations in the film strip. Then the arm 26 will again be moved downward to 'close the `slide 30 and to advance the film strip another step so as to bring an unexposed portion' of the strip in line with the lens 6. The slide may now be operated, if desired, to again observe an 'image on the film strip.`

Vwith the ground glass as clearly shown in Fig. 14 so as to magnify the image on the ground glass. When the operator is satislied as to the focus of the lens and the degree of illumination, determined by the diaphragm aperture, he will. again exchange the lens mountings 5 and 91 so as to bring the lens 6 in front of the ilm and he will make the exposures by operating the shutvter of the lens 6, 0r whatever lens is being used at the time for the object lens of the camera. The advantage of the modified form of the invention over that previously described is that none of the film will be wasted by fogging it in the operation of opening the slide 30 for, in the modified form, the closure 60 will be constantly kept in position to close the window 87.

It is understood that, if artificial lighting is lbeing employed in the scene being photo- `graphed,lthe degree of illumination of the scene will be regulated in accordance with the judgment of the operator before he makes the exposure.

One or more exposures of the scene or any number of exposures of ,differentI selected scenes may be madeand then the strip of exposed film will be developed, in a manner well understood in the photographic art, so that the operator can ascertain Whether or not the size of the diaphragm aperture, the illumination and the focusing of the lens, are correct for roduction of the motion picture negative E exposed to the scene or scenes which have been recorded on the film 11.

Also the director may view the exposed ns happens to 11n to be subsequently ling film, or have positives printed from the negative film and then have the images on the positive projected on to a screen, so that he may judge of the suitability of the setting for portrayal of the scene to be recorded by the motion picture camera.

If the size of the dlap'hragm aperture, or the de ee of illumination are not correct, or if t e director does not approve of the location, alterations will be made in an effort to remedy the defect or defects and other ex osures Will be made and lthe film develope and these operations will be repeated until the degree of lighting is correct and the location meets with the approval of the director. The motion picture camera, not shown, will then be set up in the same location as occupied by the camera and the diaphragm adjusted to correspond with the adjustment of the diaphragm of this camera, as noted at the time that the successful exposures were made, and the actors will take their positions. ThenV the photographing of the scene with the motion picture camera Will take place in a manner well understood in the motion picture art.

It is obvious that the invention may be used independently of motion picture photography to make the ordinary negatives.

It is nderstood that the invention is not limited o the exact details of construction shown in the'drawings and above described, but that the invention also includes such changes and modifications as lie Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a camera, a body provided with magazine chambers and with an orifice, spools in t-he chambers respectively for holding a film, an object lens mounted in the orifice, a gate extending over the orifice opposite the lens, means mounted in the gate to engage perforations in thel film, and means mounted in the gate to operate the perforation-engaging means.

2. In a camera, a body provided with magazine chambers and with an orifice, spools in the chambers respectively for holding a film, an object lens mounted in the orifice, a gate extending over the orice opposite the lens and provided with a Window, a slide movably mounted in the gate and adapted to close the window, means to move the film, and means to operate the slide and the film-moving means.

3. Ina camera, a body provided with magazine chambers and with an orifice, spools in the chambers respectively for holda film, an object lens mounted in the front end of the orifice, means to move the film, means at the rear end of the orice to close said orifice, and means to o rate the film-moving means and the ori ice-closing means.

4. Ih a camera, a body provided with magazine chambers and with an orifice, spools in the chambers respectively for holding a film, an object lens mounted in the front end of the orifice, and means tc .simultaneously move the film and shut off the light at the rear end of the orifice.

5. In a camera, a body provided .with magazine chambers and with an orifice, spools in the chambers respectively for holding a film, an object lens for the orifice, a closure for the rear end -of/the orifice,

-means to operate said closure, and means to engage and move the film.

6. In a camera, a bod having an orifice and adapted to hold a lm, a lens for the front end of the orifice, a gate fastened t0 the body at the rear end of theorifice, a movably mounted presser plate adjacentthe inner face of the gate, means to'yieldingly hold the presser plate toward the gate, and means to move the film.

7. In a camera, a bod having an orifice and adapted to hold a lm, fa lens for the front end ofthe orifice, agate having a Window and fastened to the 'body at the rear end of the orifice, a closure for the nindow, a presser plate having an opening registering with the Window, means to yieldlingly hold the presser plate toward the gate,

and means to move the film.

8. In a camera, a body having an orifice and provided with magazine chambers, spools for the chambers, an object lens for the orifice, a gate detachably fastened to the body, and means to yieldingly hold a film against the inner face of the ate.

9. In a camera, a body having an orifice and provided with magazine chambers, spools for the chambers, an object lens for the orifice, a gate detachably fastened to the body, and means mounted in the gate to engage the perforations in a film.

. 10. In a camera, a body having an orifice and provided with magazine chambers,

spools for the chambers, an object lens for the orifice, a gate de-tachably fastened to the bod means mounted in the gate to engage t le perforations of a film, means to operate the perforation-engaging means,

Vand means to yieldingly hold the film tollO extending across the orifice, a presser plate Y having a bushing slidably engaging the ori'- presser plate toward t e gate.

ce, and springs to ieldmgly hold 'the shrzfts, and an object lens mounted in the 10 o oe. 13. In a cameraman, body ha/Ying an orifice Signed at New- York city, New York, and provided fwlthfnlilagzeldchamblls ythis 1st day of January, 1920. o'ningtoone aceo te oy etacae .v

ugs to close the outer ends o the cham- KARL W THALHAMMER.' Ears, bearings extending into the chambers Witnesses: from the opposite face of the body, shafts Roy S. SANFORD, inthe bearings, s pools mounted on the CARRIE M. KINNER. 

